Joint Base honors World War II, Korean War veterans

A crowd of more than 700, comprised of families, friends, service members, community members and volunteers, lined up along a red carpet at St. Kevin’s Church in Springfield, Pa. as they awaited the arrival of more than 150 World War II and Korean War veterans upon their return from visiting the nation’s capital. Service members from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst traveled to Pennsylvania to participate in the reception.
(Photo:
Air Force photo by 2nd Lt. Carrie Volpe
)

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST – Service members from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., joined a crowd of families, friends, community members and volunteers to honor more than 150 World War II and Korean War veterans after they visited the nation's capital recently.

The veterans participated in the Honor Flight Philadelphia program, which escorted them to Arlington National Cemetery and then to Washington to view the memorials dedicated to their service. The Honor Flight's primary mission focuses on enabling World War II veterans to visit the memorial in Washington, free of charge. The event relies on donations and volunteers, and another mission is scheduled for September.

After leaving the capital, they traveled to a reception party at St. Kevin's Church in Springfield, Pa.

Upon crossing the Delaware and Pennsylvania border, they stopped at the “Welcome to Pennsylvania” rest area where they were met by more than 300 motorcyclists who accompanied them. The route took them underneath overpasses where fire engines parked, and their ladders displayed giant American flags in honor of the veterans.

Firefighters and police officers were lined up on the bridges to salute them as they passed.

Buses delivered them to St. Kevin's Church, where they were greeted by a welcome reception, complete with a red carpet, Knights of Columbus members, a live band and a sea of American flags.

“This trip, far and above exceeded everything I imagined,” said former Navy Seaman Harold Rosen, 88, of Bluebell, Pa., who served in the Pacific. “Not just the visiting of the monuments and the caring of the (Honor Flight) guardians, but seeing the love and affirmation for the American veteran.”

One by one, some walking and others in wheel chairs, the veterans were escorted by Honor Flight guardians down a red carpet. The crowd of more than 700, including 13 airmen and Marines from the Joint Base, lined up along the red carpet to shake the veterans’ hands.

“I was honored to greet the men and women who came before me and paved the way for myself and generations to come,” said Air Force Staff Sgt. Jonathan Lynch of Vancouver, Wash. “The veterans were very lively and have inspired me to live life to the fullest as they have.”

The guests of honor wore matching white Honor Flight T-shirts, some complete with medals pinned on, and many wore their respective World War II and Korean War ball caps.

“I was overwhelmed, overjoyed and very humbled,” said Josephine Larson, 86, former Navy hospital worker of Lansdale, Pa. “I was especially taken by the children who came to shake my hand and say 'thank you for serving our country.' It was the best day of my life.”

While making their way down the carpet and into the church, they offered and returned salutes, some of them insisting on standing from their wheel chairs, to the service men and women in uniform.

“When they walked down the red carpet and recognized we were saluting them, it was extremely humbling when they returned our salute, knowing how much of an impact their military service had on world history,” said Marine Sgt. William McDermott from the Joint Base. McDermott hails from Ridley, Pa.

Helen Collins, a former Marine sergeant who served in World War II and the Korean War, stopped in front of the Marines lined up on the red carpet.

“Here are my boys,” she said.

The service members were invited to participate in a USO dinner inside the church.

“I knew the event was going to be great, but there's something about being here in person, and everyone was saying 'thank you', it was just fantastic,” said Collins.